The present invention relates to the field of refrigeration devices.
In order to provide ice, refrigeration devices having automatic ice cube makers can be used, which are equipped with dispensing units for whole ice cubes and broken or crushed ice. Such types of refrigeration devices basically first produce ice cubes which are then dispensed or which are crushed further and then dispensed. In addition, such refrigeration devices can also have a refrigerator compartment for storing and cooling chilled goods.
A fineness grade of the broken ice is predefined in the case of the known devices. The ice cubes are normally pressed against blades for crushing purposes, where the fineness of the crushed ice depends on the spacing of the blades from one another, which spacing can no longer be changed after completion of the device. The fineness of the crushed ice can be varied only from device to device by installing the blades at different spacings from one another. In the ice cube maker gravity causes the crushed ice to fall through the blades into a dispensing unit of the refrigeration device. There the crushed ice of a fixed fineness grade can be immediately removed, for example in a container for drinks. Furthermore, such types of ice cube makers can have a flap beneath the blades in order to prevent crushed ice and ice flakes from accidentally falling into the dispensing unit due to gravity. The ice is then held for at least a short period of time in the region of the blades, with the result that the ice is crushed to differing degrees. The finished crushed ice then has some uncontrollable fineness grade.
The publication WO 207/028029 describes an ice crusher which is arranged on an ice dispenser or a combined ice/drinks dispensing unit. The crushed ice flows from an output of the ice crusher by way of an ice chute into a cup or container.
The publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,996 describes an ice crusher in combination with an ice machine. The ice crusher includes a deflection plate. When ice strikes the deflection plate, a circuit for operating the ice crusher is activated by way of an actuator arm and a microswitch.